Zombie Walk benefits two Coastal Bend nonprofits

Lock your doors and board up your windows, because the zombie epidemic is hitting Corpus Christi.

Texas Toyz has put together a walk, which will start at 5 p.m. Saturday at House of Rock. Instead of the regular fitness attire, participants will be in zombie attire.

The entry fee is $15 at Texas Toyz, $17 for an online purchase and $20 on the day of the event.

The money raised will be donated to the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Coastal Bend and the Gulf Coast Humane Society, two nonprofits that Dean Fritsch, the owner of Texas Toyz, knows are vital.

"We have an undead heart for abuse and neglected children," Fritsch said. "Especially with children and animals … they can't fend for themselves and they need help."

"Dean is donating 100 percent of the money that is made from this, and that's unheard of," Booth said. "It's important because we're not always guaranteed the funds from one year to the next."

Fritsch said the Zombie Walk reaches out to younger people, who would normally not think about charity.

"One thing I really like about it is we've got all these people that would have never done a charity 5K run," he said. "We're getting a totally different demographic here."

Zombie walks have happened around the nation in bigger metropolitan areas like San Francisco, Austin and Houston. According to Fritsch, it was time for Corpus Christi to get its own Zombie Walk too.

"These last couple of years around Halloween, people would go into the store talking about going to a Zombie Walk up in Austin or Houston," he said. "They'd ask how we don't have one here. There's the demand for it. I really wanted to get one down here."

Participants in the Zombie Walk also will have a chance to be part of a costume contest. Prizes will be given out to those who dress the best for the part.

"We want people to come in dressed to impressed-zombie style," Booth said.

The Zombie Walk is expected to have at least 1,000 people.

"It's going to be one of the craziest events of this year," Booth said.

Shirts also will also be handed out to the first thousand that finish the 5K, as well as goody bags with coupons from the Zombie Walk sponsors.